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Experience Report from the Wood Processing Sector

Burkhard PlinkeBurkhard Plinke, project manager for image processing
and spectroscopy at the Fraunhofer WKI, about the cooperation with inno-spec:

The
challenge which inno-spec tackled in the wood processing sector was
brought to the team's attention by the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood
Research: The task focuses on measuring the adhesive application on the
so-called strands for the production of OSB boards (oriented strand
boards). Accurate measuring of such adhesive amounts was hitherto
impossible – the problem could only be successfully solved by means of a
space-resolved spectroscopy solution in the NIR range.

Which problem did you turn to inno-spec for?

"We are dealing with imaging spectroscopy procedures for the analysis of
material and bulk material flows, for example in order to optimize the
production of wood-based boards or to develop new recycling methods for
scrap wood. As we do not represent a camera developer, but a user, we
were looking for suitable sensor technology to detect a reflection
spectrum in the near-infrared range for each pixel on a moved surface
and then further process this spectrum."

What was the special challenge in this project?

"The challenge lay in the high data rates in the range of approximately
100 scans per second as well as in a spectral range ideally from 1000 nm
to over 2000 nm in order to »see« the substances relevant for us (e.g.
adhesives and plastics).. Of course, all this must be attained at a
reasonable price. Moreover, easy programming inside as well as outside
the camera as well as openness for advancements in camera technology,
e.g. with extended spectral ranges, represented decisive aspects."

How was the problem solved?

"The "RedEye" camera by inno-spec perfectly meets our requirements. At
the moment, the hyper spectral data are still classified "offline" with
the usual method of chemometrics (e.g. PCA, PLS). Our perspective
focuses on the realization of imaging online process analysis as well as
on the advancement of classification procedures and their utilization in
sorting technology."